Explore records, photographs, and stories from the people and places that shaped our community.
Search Our DatabaseWelcome to the Benton County Historical Society & Museum
Preserving the stories, artifacts, and heritage of Benton County, Minnesota since 1949.
📅 Today in History
United States
• 1541 Hernando de Soto discovers Mississippi River
• 1792 US establishes military draft
Minnesota
• On April 3, 1920, St. Paul’s Union Station opened.
• The Lake Superior agate became Minnesota’s state gemstone in 1969.
Benton County
• On March 4, 1901, citizens in Foley circulated a petition to build a courthouse and move county offices there.
• Benton was one of only three original Minnesota counties officially opened to settlers.